She told her co-hosts and production team: "Thank you, you have been brilliant for 11 years."

And she added to Turnbull: "We've been friends for 20 years, and you're still my best friend.

"Thank you to the viewers for being loyal and passionate and caring about the programme. I've had two children on this sofa, not literally.

"You've been such a wonderful audience, thank you. I will miss you hugely."

During the programme, viewers were given an insight into Williams and Turnball's strange warm-up routine, which revealed how, 15 seconds before the show every morning, they shook their hands out in front of them.

Williams quit her early morning job instead of relocating to the new BBC studios in Salford, citing family reasons.